Few things can compare with seeing your own work published for the first time. It’s more than just a great feeling, it’s a confidence booster. It can also be a quick way for aspiring copywriters to develop a portfolio. In fact, it’s not at all difficult to become a published writer. There are lots of websites that publish submitted work but, obviously, you will want to choose one that has credibility and is curated by humans (not just articles copied and pasted to the site). The very best site is EzineArticles www.ezinearticles.com . The process is simple and you can write about almost anything that’s legal. Last time I looked, recent articles included “Wet or dry dog food?”, “Is it time to replace your kitchen cabinets?”, “Yoga and Pilates build that strong foundation you are seeking – why not start now?” Start by reading articles already published on their site to get a feel for writing styles and subjects. Do read their editorial guidelines and then sign up – free of charge. Yes, your articles will be vetted by real humans (it takes them just a few days) and you will then become a published author! What’s more, your articles will be syndicated around the world for others to publish, provided they acknowledge your authorship, complete with a link to your site. You can always check later if your work has been re-published. Simply copy a whole paragraph of text from your article and use it as a ‘search term’ in a Google search. Every reprint will then be listed. Easy Basic membership allows you to submit upto10 articles for publication. If EzineArticles decides that they like your work, you will be offered a platinum membership which permits an unlimited number of articles to be considered. All free of charge. Go for it! www.ezinearticles.com. You can also use the Ezine logo on your website as an accredited author. Another big advantage with EzineArticles is that, once you register, they send you regular coaching emails with seriously useful two-minute hints and tips. Word of warning. Once you have a few articles under your belt, be careful not to become addicted to Ezines. One hundred published articles won’t give you any more credibility than half a dozen or so. As quickly as possible, you will need to move into paid work. More on that in a future blog post.